A school-based health clinic officially opens on Jan. 16 at Iola Elementary School.
The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas is providing the service.
Students and faculty can access the clinic for a variety of health care needs, beyond the services typically provided by a school nurse. That could include well-child checkups, immunizations, tests for infectious diseases like strep throat and injuries at school, as well as writing prescriptions.
Sara Clift, a physician assistant, will serve as the on-site provider.
Staff can also access telehealth services through KU’s Telehealth ROCKS children’s health program.
CHC/SEK also plans to install a vaccine refrigerator, which will allow students to get all their vaccines at the clinic, Ashley Hooper, director of school health services for CHC/SEK, said in an update to the board on Monday evening.
The program provides three nurses as well as Clift, so that all schools in the district have some type of health services. One will also visit two local preschools that work with the district.
CHC/SEK has provided two nurses to the district for a few years now, but the clinic will offer expanded services.
USD 257 is one of four school-based health clinics CHC/SEK is opening in January, bringing their total of districts served to 10.
School board President Dan Willis said board members and school administrators hope the clinic will reduce chronic absenteeism.
HOOPER also gave board members an update on current health issues at the schools, in response to a question.
COVID-19 cases are minimal, but the schools are dealing with flu and stomach-related illnesses. RSV, a respiratory illness, mainly affects younger children so there hasn’t been many cases in the schools.
They are seeing an increase in other health conditions, including hand-foot-and-mouth disease and bedbugs.
Superintendent Stacy Fager said districts across the state are reporting an increase in students suffering from bedbug bites. Schools will give parents advice on how to treat bed bugs, and school-based providers are writing policies to help schools and families understand and deal with the issue.
Iola Rotary gift
The Iola Rotary Club has donated $21,750 to USD 257 since July, including a gift of $8,000 on Monday to help the elementary school library.
